A SPEEDING driver has escaped jail after hitting twice the legal speed limit on a notorious of Merseyside accident blackspot.

Stephen Barr, 21, of Twickenham Drive, Wallasey, was found guilty of dangerous driving at Wirral magistrates court on July 2.

At his sentencing yesterday the court heard how a police officer with a speed gun clocked Barr in his grey hatchback Rover driving at 60mph on the 30mph Seabank Road on Thursday, February 12, at 10.05pm.

Barr, who lives with his mother and stepfather, sped past four junctions and would have had no time to react to any emerging vehicle.

The Wallasey stretch is a notorious accident blackspot and has been targeted by Merseyside Police as well as included in a road safety campaign run by Wirral Council.

The court heard that one police officer who was poised with the handheld monitoring device saw Barr speed past the line of vehicles in front of him, pulling out in to the side of the road which would have been used by oncoming traffic.

Prosecuting, Alan Currums said: “Near the junction of Elgin Drive the officer saw the grey Rover overtake four vehicles on the wrong side of the road.

“The officer put his police warning signs on and initially the driver broke to slow down but then accelerated.

“He turned into Steel Avenue, pulled into a parking space and turned off his lights.”

The officer had seen him however and pulled up alongside to prevent his exit.

Representing Barr, Amy Walton said the road had been quiet, conditions were dry and no evasive action had to be taken by any other road user.

She said: “He is not a typical boy racer that flouts the law.

“Since this incident he has been involved in a road traffic accident and now has permanent scarring on his face.

“He is now a very different person, he doesn’t like any aggressive manoeuvres and takes the dangers of driving very seriously.

“He is not the sort of person who would bode well in custody and has shown genuine remorse.”

She said he was a gold Duke of Edinburgh award winner, helped with youth groups in his community and had secured himself a place on a motor vehicle engineering course at Wirral Met College.

Chairman of the magistrates Wilfred Leslie said he had looked carefully at pre-sentence reports and a folder of certificates of achievement from school which the defendant had brought. He sentenced him to 12 weeks’ custody suspended for 12 months and a 150-hour community work order.

Barr is disqualified from driving for two years and must pay £200 court costs.